Spark-arrester for tobacco-drying houses



H. L. GANTT. SPARK ARRESTER FOR TOBACCO DRYING HOUSES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 11. 1921. 1,383,927 a Patentefl July 5 1921 avwemtoq 7 E,A/.Wi a

y or fines.

are customarily made of sheet metal become HENRY L. GAN'rr, or nosnnelvn. VIRGINIA.

SBARK-ARRES TER FOR TOBACCO DRYING HOUSES.

To all whom it may concern: I 7 Be it known that I, HENRY L. :GANr'r, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Roseland, county of Nelson and State of Virginia, have invented certaln new and useful Improvements in Sparkeii rresters for Tobacco-Drying Houses, of wh1ch the following is a full and complete specification, reference being made therein to'the appended drawings. 7 The proper curing and drying of tobacco depends upon the appllcatlon for a continued Space of time to the tobacco of uniform heat. The tobacco iscustomarily hung in the leaf in bunches depending fromrods or sticks. Alarge numberof these bunches of leaves are hung. in spaced relatlonship each to the other within a barnor house'in which the requisite heat may be applied to the drying tobaccowhile adequate means are provided for proper ventilation. The heat required to complete the drylng process varies during the several stages carr ed out and toward the end of the operation s qulte intense. I 1 H The heat for drying the tobacco may be supplied from sources external from the house and led into same by means of ducts In this manner the fines whlch quite hot and, unless shielded from contact with the partially dried tobacco may cause the latterto take fire.

VJ here reliance is had upon .a blazing fire built upon the floor of the house and-under the hanging tobacco bunches, there lseven greater danger from fire whlch may be caused by thefalling of the tobacco leaves or a stick, carrying an amount of the tobacco into the fire. In the latter event the tobacco fragments will blaze up sufiiciently high to carry sparks among the hanging bunches and set fire to the latter.

It is an object of my invention to provide means whereby the tobacco during the drying and curing operation may be subjected diiectly to the hot gases from an openfire without the danger of catching fire from the upwardly traveling sparks.

It will be apparent that the means provided by my invention to accomplish the above result will also insure the even distribution of heat rising from the fire and permeating the tobacco.

By means of my invention the burning of any portion of the tobacco, which may fall Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed February 11, 1921.

. composing the spark arrester,

Patented July 5, 1921. Serial No. 444,132.

. from its support, is-prevented and the risk of fire is minimized.

A form inwhich my invention may be carried out is illustrated in'the accompanying drawing in which, v

Figure l is an elevation showing the disposition of my spark arrester between the tobacco and the open fire,

Fig. 2 is a plan View of one of-the units Fig. 3 is an end elevation of viewed from the right of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4. is a section along the line 11 of Fig. 2.

The bunches of tobacco are supported loosely from thecross sticks 5 which latter are spaced each from the other. The cross sticks 5 are supported at their ends upon the tier poles 6. from side to side are. arranged in parallel pairs separated each from the other by a distance of approximately four feet.

The spark arrester consists of a plurality of units'represented generally by the numeral 7. The number of units used is dependent upon the number of pairs of tier poles 6 which are provided in the house. A unit 7 is hung beneath each vertical row of tier poles. a

The unit 7 of the spark arrester consists of a pair of frames 8 and 9. The lower frame of the drying house and 8 is rectangular and has the Wire mesh 10 fastened to the frame as indicated. The upper surfaces of the longitudinal members of frame 8 carry the raised ribs 11 and 12 which form a .parallel track. The frame member 9 has a corresponding groove in the lower surfaces of the longitudinal members. These grooves cooperate with the ribs 11 and 12 of the member 8 upon which the frame 9 is thus adapted to slide into and out of adjusted position. .A wire mesh 13 is provided upon the upper surface of the member 9. Extending from one cross bar of member 9.is a depending flap ll-which connects the wire mesh 13 of one member 9 with the wire mesh fabric 10 of the opposite frame member 8.

One side of the frame 8 carries two strap said unit,

1 These tier poles extend metal brackets 15 and 16. The lower ends 

